• Loading stock data...
Saturday, April 5, 2025
Nominations Are Open for Front Office Sports Honors! Submit Now

Gender Equity at Heart of New California NIL Law

  • The state legislature passed an amendment requiring any deals worth $5,000 or more to be reported to their schools, who will then publicize the information.
  • The goal: to shame companies and NIL collectives into offering more equitable deals to women’s sports athletes.
Apr 13, 2023; Fort Worth, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins gymnast Selena Harris performs on beam during the NCAA Women's National Gymnastics Tournament Semifinal at Dickies Arena.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The NCAA isn’t the only entity trying to force the terms of name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals to become public.

Last week, the California state legislature passed an amendment to its existing NIL law requiring any deals worth $5,000 or more to be reported to their schools, who will then publicize the information in anonymized data separated by sport and gender. The amendment is currently awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature. 

The amendment is part of a larger push for NIL transparency. This summer, the NCAA has begun publicizing anonymized data, and is hoping to implement not only a mandatory reporting structure, but also an enforcement arm to block deals seen as “pay for play.” For the NCAA, the goal is to curb the power of NIL collectives.

That’s not the intention of California’s transparency law, however, which is instead focused on gender equity. Sen. Nancy Skinner, who authored the amendment, hopes the reporting requirements will shame companies and NIL collectives into offering more equitable deals to women’s sports athletes.

While data has shown women’s sports athletes have benefited greatly from NIL, they still aren’t earning the same amount of money as their men’s sports counterparts. 

“There’s an old saying, ‘Sunlight is the best disinfectant,’” Skinner said in a statement. “Hopefully, the transparency measures … will prompt collectives and other NIL entities to do the right thing and boost funding for women athletes. And if they don’t, and college-backed NIL efforts are shown to be shortchanging female athletes and worsening gender inequity, then policymakers will have the information necessary to level the playing field.”

Skinner is arguably one of the most important figures in the history of NIL. She sponsored California’s original NIL law, which was the first in the nation to be passed in 2019. The law set off a chain reaction across the country with state legislatures passing similar laws, eventually forcing the NCAA to allow athletes to profit off their NIL for the first time.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) and forward Sarah Strong (21) react on the bench during the fourth quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament against the UCLA Bruins at Amalie Arena.

Women’s Final Four Delivers Nearly 4M Viewers, Still 64% Drop

Both of this year’s games were blowouts, which didn’t help returns.
Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma reacts during first quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament against the UCLA Bruins at Amalie Arena

Auriemma on Tournament Format: ‘We’re Short-Changing the Kids’

The UConn coach isn’t satisfied with the women’s two-site regional format.
Mar 29, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) before playing against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the East Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center.

As College Basketball Teams Got Older, Duke Embraced the Fountain of Youth

How the Blue Devils went old-school in the transfer portal era.
Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) and guard KK Arnold (2) react during first quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament against the UCLA Bruins at Amalie Arena.

Powerhouses UConn, South Carolina Set for Showdown in Final

The Huskies beat UCLA and the Gamecocks defeated Texas.

Featured Today

Mar 1, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) and center Olivier Rioux (32) and guard Alijah Martin (15) and forward Thomas Haugh (10) huddle after the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center

How Florida Built a Final Four Roster With ‘Under-Recruited’ Players

“We’ve never gotten a single player because we’re the highest bidder.”
Dec 27, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (71) skates during warm ups before their game against the Vegas Golden Knights at SAP Center at San Jose
April 3, 2025

Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks Rookies Have Brought Good Vibes to a..

The rookie’s arrival has boosted spirits incongruously high inside the flagging franchise.
Mar 26, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in the first half Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
April 1, 2025

The Creator Behind the LeBron ‘Glazing’ Trend Sweeping TikTok

FOS spoke to TikTok user OkaySpade who made the original song.
Mar 22, 2025; Providence, RI, USA; McNeese State Cowboys manager Amir Khan before a second round men’s NCAA Tournament game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Amica Mutual Pavilion
April 1, 2025

Inside the 24-Hour NIL March Madness Deals

Some of the most viral partnerships come together overnight.
Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks forward Chloe Kitts (21) reacts with teammates during the semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament against the Texas Longhorns at Amalie Arena.

South Carolina Chasing Back-to-Back Titles and Third in Four Years

Gamecocks’ 74-57 win over Texas puts them back in the NCAA title game.
April 4, 2025

Men’s Final Four: Big Programs, Big Money, and No Cinderellas

The men’s and women’s Final Fours take place this weekend.
April 4, 2025

Women’s March Madness Eyes Another Change: Go Fully Neutral?

Attendance in the regional rounds is up significantly.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
March Madness NIL
April 4, 2025

9 Wildest March Madness NIL Deals

Miralax featured several women’s basketball players in an ad campaign.
Flau'Jae Johnson
April 3, 2025

Flau’jae Johnson Picks College Over WNBA Draft

The LSU star and rapper will stay another year in school.
Dawn Staley
April 3, 2025

Women’s March Madness Has a Portal Problem. Can GMs Solve It?

Final Four coaches are calling agents and players between practices.
Mar 30, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close looks on against the LSU Lady Tigers during the first half of a Elite 8 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Spokane Arena.
April 3, 2025

UCLA’s Rise to the Final Four: Cori Close’s Blueprint for a New..

The UCLA women’s team is in the Final Four for the first time in the NCAA era.